A Chinese employee has taken legal action against his former company after being dismissed over claims that he had exaggerated his medical condition during sick leave, including allegations that he walked around 16,000 steps while off work for foot pain.
The case, which dates back to 2019, was recently highlighted by China’s Ministry of Justice in a public post on 29 October. It quickly gained traction online, sparking widespread discussion about workplace surveillance and employee rights in the digital age. Such disputes continue to fuel debate globally over how far employers can go in monitoring staff behaviour during medical leave.
The worker, identified by the surname Chen, reportedly first took leave after suffering a back strain linked to work duties. He later returned briefly before applying for another period of leave, this time citing severe pain in his right foot. Medical examinations diagnosed him with a heel spur, a condition caused by repeated stress on the foot bone, and he was advised to rest for recovery.
Following his request for extended leave, Chen was asked by his employer to submit additional supporting documents. However, tensions escalated when he was later prevented from entering the workplace by security personnel, before being formally informed of his dismissal days afterwards. The company accused him of misrepresenting his health condition.
In an increasingly common trend in modern workplaces, employers are relying on digital monitoring tools and surveillance data to assess employee conduct, raising questions about privacy boundaries. In this case, the company alleged that Chen’s activity data showed he had walked around 16,000 steps while on sick leave, further strengthening their suspicion.
Chen, however, disputed the allegations and proceeded to file for labour arbitration, arguing that his termination was unjust. Authorities eventually ruled in his favour, ordering the company to pay him 118,779 yuan (approximately S$22,000) in compensation. The employer later challenged the ruling in court, maintaining its position and presenting surveillance footage which allegedly showed Chen running on the day he applied for leave.
